Novelty Gifts from Wales
Flying Greenhouse
<h4>You're browser does not support iFrames - here is an exerpt of the content</h4> <a href="http://allotment2kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/11/mallow-snowmen-and-haggis-samosa.html">Click here to read the article in full</a> <p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFwLZ71-sI/AAAAAAAADsw/8BZgjxhQA6o/s1600/Edin+Sky.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 301px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409227968691436226" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFwLZ71-sI/AAAAAAAADsw/8BZgjxhQA6o/s400/Edin+Sky.jpg" /></a> As the skies were promising to keep the rain off <a title="parts of Scotland" href="http://gardenersvoice.com/category/parts-of-scotland/">parts of Scotland</a>, yesterday I decided to take my guest (nephew) into Edinburgh.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFwLNOkLkI/AAAAAAAADso/LWT4Wt0HN64/s1600/Edin+Vintage+Bus.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 289px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409227965280300610" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFwLNOkLkI/AAAAAAAADso/LWT4Wt0HN64/s400/Edin+Vintage+Bus.jpg" /></a> He has been to Edinburgh and played tourist before, so yesterday was more about shopping and spending ‘quality time’ with his Aunty, rather than checking out Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile. <div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFvOuvQIbI/AAAAAAAADsg/LPPSeuof_KQ/s1600/ESAcollage2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 282px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409226926303748530" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFvOuvQIbI/AAAAAAAADsg/LPPSeuof_KQ/s400/ESAcollage2.jpg" /></a> Princes street is really chaotic at the moment with road works, so other than stopping in Jenner’s where we mused at these ‘snowman; and ‘Christmas tree’ pasta shapes, we decided to check out the back streets and alleys. </div> <div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFu1HQVKjI/AAAAAAAADsQ/rIWiI9AdXg8/s1600/ESAcollage1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 375px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409226486208342578" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFu1HQVKjI/AAAAAAAADsQ/rIWiI9AdXg8/s400/ESAcollage1.jpg" /></a> We stopped at a popular fast-food bakery and picked up a couple of mallow snowmen to nibble on. Above are a few eateries in Edinburgh that I would recommend to vegetarians for flavour and value for money (from top left to bottom right: The <em>Mosque</em> Kitchen; Henderson’s; Susie’s Wholefood Diner; and <em>Kalpna</em>). In the early afternoon, we actually had a bite to eat at Henderson’s <em>Bistro</em>. I had a Moroccan Stew served with <em>couscous</em> and my nephew had <em>enchilada</em>. For dessert we shared a cherry pie. The food was good, the only thing I did not enjoy was my <em>espresso</em>, it was very bitty. </div> <div> <div> <div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFuwPyIUPI/AAAAAAAADsI/8Tezb-zFzC0/s1600/ESAcollage4.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 242px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409226402598244594" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFuwPyIUPI/AAAAAAAADsI/8Tezb-zFzC0/s400/ESAcollage4.jpg" /></a> We walked down South Bridge and Nicolson Street, which is just off the tourist track. On this street, you will also see a lot of student life, the diversity of the locals and a bit of ‘real Edinburgh’. In this area, is one shop I like to visit now and again: Jordon Valley where I have bought fresh home-made <em><a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/halva">halva</a></em>. Unfortunately, when I got there we were greeted with a sign in the window ‘we will be closed this Friday …for <em>Eid al-Adha</em>‘. Like many Americans celebrating <a title="Thanksgiving" href="http://gardenersvoice.com/category/thanksgiving/">Thanksgiving</a>, Muslims around the world were celebrating <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_al-Adha">Eid al-Adha</a></em>. <em>Eid Mabarak</em>. While roaming the streets and shops, one of our first snacks was a ‘<a title="vegetarian haggis" href="http://gardenersvoice.com/category/vegetarian-haggis/">vegetarian haggis</a> samosa’ from <a href="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/place?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=the+baked+potato+edinburgh&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=the+baked+potato&hnear=edinburgh&cid=136115078740549794">The Baked Potato</a>. It was spicy and tasty. I like looking in charity and thrift shops and stopped at most of them, hoping to find a bargain or two. I don’t send many Christmas cards, but decided to pick up half a dozen to send to family and friends abroad. I also stopped at one of my favourite independent bookshop called <a href="http://www.word-power.co.uk/">WordPower </a>and picked up an unexpected early Christmas present to myself: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Soup-All-new-Recipes-Vegetarian/dp/0393332578">Love Soup</a> by Anna Thomas. </div> <div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFupWv1oSI/AAAAAAAADsA/rYc0ENaqAh4/s1600/ESAcollage3.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409226284208595234" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0W_QqQJyAQw/SxFupWv1oSI/AAAAAAAADsA/rYc0ENaqAh4/s400/ESAcollage3.jpg" /></a> After our meal at Henderson’s we walked back to the train station, taking a detour at the Continental Christmas Market that had set up in the park. These continental Christmas markets come into the cities almost every year selling crafts, hot dogs, <em>stollen </em>and hot mugs, in our case a plastic cup of <em>gluwein</em>. It wasn’t particularly nice. Anyway, all in all we had a good day out, but I tell you my little feet were really sore from all the walking, that I was so glad when we got home. </div> </div> </div> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1055570102085574482-7684548849420216451?l=allotment2kitchen.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <div style="display: none">VN:F [1.6.3_896]</div><div class="ratingblock"><div class="ratingblock "><div class="ratingheader ">Rate this Article</div><div class="ratingstars "><div id="article_rater_15568" class="ratepost gdsr-soft gdsr-size-24"><div class="starsbar gdsr-size-24"><div class="gdouter gdheight"><div id="gdr_vote_a15568" style="width: 0px;" class="gdinner gdheight"></div><div id="gdr_stars_a15568" class="gdsr_rating_as"><a id="gdsrX15568X5X0XaXarticle_rater_15568Xarticle_loader_15568X10X24" title="5 / 5" class="s5" rel="nofollow"></a><a id="gdsrX15568X4X0XaXarticle_rater_15568Xarticle_loader_15568X10X24" title="4 / 5" class="s4" rel="nofollow"></a><a id="gdsrX15568X3X0XaXarticle_rater_15568Xarticle_loader_15568X10X24" title="3 / 5" class="s3" rel="nofollow"></a><a id="gdsrX15568X2X0XaXarticle_rater_15568Xarticle_loader_15568X10X24" title="2 / 5" class="s2" rel="nofollow"></a><a id="gdsrX15568X1X0XaXarticle_rater_15568Xarticle_loader_15568X10X24" title="1 / 5" class="s1" rel="nofollow"></a></div></div></div></div><div id="article_loader_15568" style="display: none; width: 120px; " class="ratingloader article"><div class="loader flower " style="height: 24px"><div class="loaderinner" style="padding-top: 2px">please wait...</div></div></div></div><div class="ratingtext "><div id="gdr_text_a15568">Rating: 0.0/<strong>5</strong> (0 votes cast)</div></div></div></div>
